Protection, rescue and relief forces are the capabilities of the state, local communities, companies, institutes or other organizations, which are available for protection, rescue and relief in the event of natural or other disasters.

They are intended for:

First aid and emergency medical assistance,

Assistance to the affected population and population at risk,

First veterinary aid,

Extinguishing fires and fire rescue,

Rescue from rubble, landslides and avalanches,

Rescue in the event of floods or other meteorological disasters, environmental and other accidents on sea, rivers and lakes,

Rescue in the event of major traffic accidents,

Rescue in the event of mining accidents,

Mountain rescue,

Cave rescue,

Water rescue,

Protection against unexploded ordnance,

Protection against avalanches,

Radiological, chemical and biological protection against nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, other means of mass destruction, and in the event of accidents involving dangerous substances,

Searching for missing persons in the event of natural and other disasters,

Rescue in the event of war, terrorist attacks and other forms of mass violence,

Provision of basic living conditions.

Participation of the Population

Depending on the way of integration and participation of citizens, protection, rescue and relief forces are divided into voluntary and professional forces as well as duty forces. Individual units and services can also be organized so as to combine professional and voluntary members.

Voluntary units and emergency services are organized in NGOs, especially in humanitarian organizations. Their activities are complemented by professional emergency services.

Professional units and services for protection, rescue and assistance are independent units or services operating in the field of protection and rescue, when necessary.

Duty units and services for protection, rescue and aid are organized as civil protection units and services on the basis of civic obligation.

photo: ACPDR archives

Organisation of the Protection, Rescue and Relief Forces

Protection, rescue and relief forces must be organized by the state, local communities and certain companies, institutes and other organizations, based on the risk in the activities they perform. In the field of disaster response, the Republic of Slovenia is divided into 13 regions, which are covered by regional offices of the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief.

In Municipalities

Voluntary Organisations

Professional Organisations

CP Units

Voluntary Fire-Fighting Units

Professional Fire-Fighting Units

Rapid Response Units

Rescue Dog Units - Dog Handlers

Emergency Medical Assistance - Public Health Service

First Aid Units

Units for the Setting up of Temporary Accommodation  Scouts

Public Social Security Services

Technical Rescue Units

Radio Amateur Units

Public Veterinary Service

NBC Decontamination Units

Water Rescue

Public Utility Services

Shelter Use Units

Red Cross

Other Contractual Organisations

Support Services

Caritas Slovenia

Information Centres

Logistics Centres

In Regions

Voluntary Organisations

Professional Organisations

CP Units

Dog Handlers

Regional Public Services

Rapid Response Units

Scouts

Contractual Organisations

Technical Rescue Units

Radio Amateurs

NBC Protection Units

Rescue Divers

Support Services

Red Cross

Information Centres

Caritas Slovenia

Logistics Centres

At the National Level

Voluntary Organisations

Professional Organisations

CP Units

Mountain Rescue Service

Forensic Identification Unit, Faculty of Medicine

Rapid Response Unit

Cave Rescue Service

Ecological Laboratory with the Mobile Unit  Jožef Stefan Institute

First Aid Units

Underwater Rescue Service

Mobile Unit with the Ecological Laboratory  National Institute of Public Health, Regional Unit Maribor

Unit for the Protection and Rescue in the Event of Accidents with Chlorine and other Corrosive Substances  TKI Hrastnik

UXO Protection Units

Dispensary and Accommodation Units  the Slovenian Red Cross

Mining Accidents Rescue Unit  Premogovnik Velenje (coal mine)

Avalanche Triggering Service

Restoring Family Links Service, Slovenian Red Cross

Mobile Notification Centre

Support Services

Radio Amateur Units  Association of Radio Amateurs of Slovenia

Relief Services in the Event of Accidents Involving Dangerous Substances

Information Centres

Services for the Detection and Identification of NBC and other Sources of Threat in the Event of Accidents Involving Dangerous Substances, Terrorist Attacks and other Disasters

Logistics Centres

Committees for the Inventory and Assessment of Damage to Buildings

Disaster Response Service for Ecological and other Disasters and for Search Operations at Sea

Accommodation Centre and Mobile Dispensary

Psychological Support Service

Protection, rescue and relief tasks are carried out by:

Units, services and other operational structures of societies and organizations, which perform protection, rescue and relief tasks or public service, based on a decision of the competent national local community authority. This includes fire-fighting units as well as units and services of societies and non-governmental organisations.

Companies, institutes and other organisations, which organise rescue units and services, based on the decision of the competent local community or national authority and with regard to risk related to activities they perform.

Civil Protection units and services which, based on civic duty, are organised as supplementary protection, rescue and relief forces. They are established by the state, local communities and companies, institutes and other organisations, in accordance with the criteria for organising, equipping and training of protection, rescue and relief forces.

Police, which provides security, law and order and participates in rescue operations with helicopters, depending on the availability of their forces.

Slovenian Armed Forces with its air unit, nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) defence unit, engineering unit and medical service, as well as other units, when they are not involved in defence tasks.